It is an incident which is being described as ‘bizarre’ by the Spanish media and is another bizarre twist in the future of Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
Video footage from Cadena Ser shows the car of Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu pulling up outside the flat where Messi’s father and agent Jorge is staying, but nobody emerged from the car and it subsequently drove away again.
🤔 SURREALISTA
El coche de Bartomeu, sin él dentro, ha aparecido en la puerta del piso de Jorge Messi en Barcelona. Sin entrar en la finca, ha dado media vuelta y se ha marchado. Vía @QueThiJugues pic.twitter.com/D3QCg747uN— Carrusel Deportivo (@carrusel) September 2, 2020
It is not clear from the footage if Bartomeu was in his car or not, as the driver’s identity is not visible and there does not appear to be anyone else in the car.
The two met earlier on Wednesday after Messi’s father flew from Argentina to hold talks regarding his son’s future with the club’s board.
The player is insistent that he will leave the club this summer while the Blaugrana are digging their heels in, saying that not only can he not leave as a free agent but that any buying club would have to pay his €700m release clause, or negotiate a fee.
The 33-year-old has a clause in his deal allowing him to leave at the end of any season, and whilst it was thought that deadline passed in June, Marca have reported his camp believe that it has been extended in line with the prolonged 2019/20 season.
The legalities of Messi’s contractual situation are set to now play a key role with reports claiming his €700m release clause at the club is no longer valid.
